Door type slip elevator



July 21, 1936. F. J. YOUNG ET AL DOOR TYPE SLIP ELEVATOR Filed Ma rch 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 21, 1936. F. J. YOUNG ET AL ELEVATOR Filed March 8, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 21, 1936. j F. J. YOUNG ET AL DOOR TYPE SLIP ELEVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 8, 1955 Patented July 21, 1936 {NHTD srm PATENT OFFICE 2,048,208 DOOR TYPE SLIP ELEVATOR Application March 8, 1933, Serial No. 660,030

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to elevators of the side door type including slips for gripping pipe, casing or the like as utilized in the drilling formation or operation of wells, particularly oil wells. This invention is related to an improvement over the structures as disclosed in the co-pending applications of Forrest Joseph Young, et al., for Door type slip elevator, Serial No. 547,870, filed June 30, 1931, now Patent No. 1,920,617, and Serial No. 610,044, filed May 9, 1932.

An object of our invention is to provide a Well elevator of the door type in which there is provided an improved form of latching means for the door or, gate and in which latching means there is provided a means enabling the easy and ready release of the gate in the event the slips of the elevator do not become released when it is desired to remove the elevators from the pipe or casing.

Another object of our invention is to provide a latch releasing means having a novel construction which permits carrying extremely high pressures without requiring the structural components of undue proportions.- 25' Another object of our invention is to provide a latch releasing means for the gate of a door type slip elevator which includes a means permitting the adjustment of the latch for the door or gate of the elevator.

Another object of our invention is to provide a door type'slip elevator which includes slips adapted to be actuated by yieldably mounted abutment or setting means which permit the' casing collar of the drill stem supported by the elevator to set the slip into engagement with the casing and. yet prevent the total casing load being carried through the drilling or casing collar.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved form of slip setting means in a slip type elevator for setting the slips into engagement with the casing or drill pipe, which means does not require the co-action of a shoulder or abutment on the casing or 'drill pipe surface.

Another object of ourinvention is to provide in a well elevator'an improved type of bail or link retaining means which holds the links or bails effectively in place but permits a convenient removal of the links or bails when desired.

Another object of our invention is to provide a well elevator of the gate type which is supported by bails or links and in which elevator means are provided for holding the elevator and bails. in position to prevent tipping of the elevator when the gate is opened, and which means are adjust- (Cl. 294-90) I able to accommodate different sizes or proportions of links or bails.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a door type slip elevator embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the elevator taken substantially on the line 3'3 of Figure 2, illustrating the elevator with the lifting links or bails removed.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. I j

Figure5 is a vertical sectional view'taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. I

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of well elevator embodying our invention.

Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 1.'| of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal fragmental sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a fragmental elevation of a slip showing a modified form of our invention.

Figure 10 is a fragmental elevation of a slip illustrating a further modification embodying our invention.

In the preferred embodiment of our, invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I indicates the body of a well elevator having elevator link or bail-receiving ears 2 for the reception of any desired form of elevator links or bails 3.

Pivotally secured to one side of the elevator body I on a hinge pin 4 is a gate 5. The gate 5 is supported at its respective ends so that the portion of the load received from the drill stem or casing supported by the elevator is transmitted to the body I. In order to accomplish this: the free end of the elevator gate 5 is undercut to provide a supporting shoulder l0 which is adapted to rest or seat upon a seat or shoulder .8 formed on the supporting lug 9 of the body I. At its pivoted end the gate 5 is supported upon a shoulder 9 formed at the lower portion of the hinge recess l0 into which the hinge cylinder of the gate 5 is fitted.

Means are provided for latching the gate 5 in closed position which means preferably in- .cludes a yoke type latch 6 which is pivotally secured to the body by a yoke hinge pin 1. The

"with relation to the drill pipe after the gate of the elevator has been closed, it maybe preferable to form one of the plungers I 4 with its serrated interior periphery formed with vertical rather than horizontally extending serrations, or, as illustrated in Figure 10, the serrations on the inner peripheries of the plungers 14 are formed in oppositely inclined positions which likewise function to prevent rotation of the elevator with "relation to the pipe upon relative vertical movement of the pipe and elevator.

In order to perfect the free swinging of the latch yoke 6, we prefer to provide anti-friction bearing means comprising a plurality of balls 45 positioned in'race grooves formed around the pins 1 and formed between the upper arm of the yoke 6 and the body I. In order to assemble the balls 45, we provide a washer plate 46 on the pin 1 between the body I and the lower arm of the yoke 6. When the plate 46 is removed, the yoke is lifted vertically an amount equal to the thickness of the space occupied by the washer plate and the balls inserted into the race grooves the yoke is then lowered into engagement with the balls and the plate 46 assembled preliminary to placing the pin I in position. The pin 1 is preferably welded into position with the yoke 6.

As elevators of the type illustrated may be of comparatively heavy construction and may, due to the hanging up of the drill pipe or casing, be lifted clear of their supporting links or bails 3, and as it is many times desirable to remove the links or bails 3 from the elevator with the elevator supported upon the floor of the drilling rig or in a like position, we prefer to form the lifting lugs 2 so that they extend downwardly to provide downwardly extending side portions 41 terminating at a distance above the lower surface of the body I and having a bottom opening 48 through which the links or bails 3 are passed.

In order to detachably retain the links in engagement with the lugs 2' to support the elevator in relation to the links or bails 3 when relative movement occurs between the elevator and the links due to the hanging up of the drill pipe or casing, we prefer to provide inwardly extending hook blocks 49 which are pivotally mounted on pins 50 within openings 5| on the side extensions 41. The lower portions of the hook members 49 have notched recesses 52 which fit over a transverse bar 53 which forms the lower wall of the opening 5|. Any downward force on the hook or cantilever member 49 is opposed by a reaction taken between the inner vertical face of recess 52 and the bar 53.

In order to remove the bails 3 we provide an elongated opening or slot 54 in the hook members 49 for reception of the pin 50 which permits raising the hook members 49 vertically for the end of the hook to clear the bar 53 and rotation of the hooks outwardly and away from the opening 48. To prevent any accidental displacement of the hook members 49, there is provided a lock pin 55 which passes through the hook and engages the recesses 56 formed in the said extensions 41 of the ears 2.

In order to prevent tipping of the elevator body I on the bails 3 when the gate 5 is open due to displacement of the center of mass on opening of the gate 5, we prefer to provide locking cams 6|] which are adjustably secured to the lifting lugs 2 with a clamping screw 6|. The cam 60 has a circular boss 62 which fits within a recess 63 formed in the elevatorlug 2. This construction permits transmitting any load on the cam 60 directly to the elevator lug without subjecting the screw 6| to any transverse shearing loads. To fit the individual link opening, the cam 60 is rotated until the cam surface engages the inner surfaceof the bail 3 and the clamp screw 6| is thenadjusted to clamp the cam 60 is position. With the cam adjusted as described, the door or gate-can be opened and any tendency to tilt will be opposed by the cam 60. The cams 60 are located a substantial distance above the axis'of tilting, that is, the link bearing surface on the to the details of construction as herein specifically set forth as our invention is susceptible of wide modification without departing from the spirit of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an elevator, the combination of a body having lifting lugs at its opposite sides, said lugs having downwardly extending portions cooperating with a portion of the body to define a pair of inverted, substantially U-shaped link receiving recesses, bails adapted to engage in the lifting-lug recesses for supporting the elevator, hook members pivotally supported on the downwardly extending end portions of said lifting-lugs and extending inwardly relative to the body to close the link receiving recess, and means on the lifting lugs for securing the hook members in position.

2. In an elevator, the combination of a body having lifting lugs at its oppositesides, said lugs having downwardly extending portions cooperating with a portion of the body to define a pair of inverted, substantially u-shaped link receiving recesses, hook plates loosely pivoted on said lifting lugs and extending inwardly to close the link receiving recesses, said plates being vertically movable on said pivots, latch means carried by said lugs to lock said plates in link retaining position, and released by the vertical movement of the plates.

3. In an elevator, the combination of a body having lifting lugs at its opposite sides, a gate pivotally supported on said body, means to releasably secure said gate in closed relation to said body, bails adapted to engage the lifting lugs for supporting the elevator, and a cam member having a contour of varying radii pivoted on the body and movable about such pivot to engage one of the bails to hold the elevator body from tilting with relation to the bail when the gate is opened.

4. In an elevator, the combination of a body having lifting lugs at its opposite sides, a gate pivotally supported on said body, means to releasably secure said gate in closed relation to said body, bails adapted to engage the lifting lugs for supporting the elevator, and a cam member pivoted on a vertical axis on the body and movable about such pivot to engage one of the bails to hold the elevator body from tilting with relation to the bails when the gate is opened.

5. In an elevator, the combination of a body having lifting lugs at its opposite sides, a gate pivotally supported on said body, means to releasably secure said gate in closed relation to said body, bails adapted to engage the lifting lugs for supporting the elevator, a circular recess provided on one side of said body, a rotary cam member having a complementary circular boss fitting within said recess, said cam member being 

